Save our Monkeys campaign marks its first anniversary

08/02/2013

Since last year, our campaign has gone from strength to strength, raising awareness and unifying support on Mauritius, and around the world. Mauritius is the world's second largest exporter of primates and many people were unaware of the cruelty and suffering that is inflicted on the country’s long-tailed macaque population. These monkeys are torn from their natural habitat and families to be imprisoned in large breeding facilities in Mauritius, where they produce young who will later be exported as cargo on airlines such as Air France to laboratories in the USA and Europe including the UK, France and Spain. You can visit the campaign website at: www.SaveourMonkeys.mu.

Throughout the year, we have received a tremendous response from members of the public to our leaflets and eye catching campaign stand in Mauritius and the UK, drawing attention to the plight of the monkeys of Mauritius and their cruel capture, breeding and export for experiments. Please do visit our campaign stalls around Mauritius in 2013 to help us raise awareness of this cruel trade!

We have received the support of leading religious and socio-cultural groups in Mauritius and a BUAV statement of concern about the primate trade has been signed by many groups and individuals, including the Mauritius Sanatan Dharma Temples Federation, Hindu House, Arya Sabha Mauritius and ISKCON. Concerns have also been expressed from around the world, including from prominent Indian politician, animal and environment campaigner, Maneka Gandhi, international actor Nitin Ganatra and Members of the UK Parliament. This support represents a growing awareness and concern on Mauritius and internationally about the suffering inflicted on the country’s monkey population. Some countries, such as India, Malaysia and Thailand have already taken the lead and banned the trapping and export of primates for research.